City workers deserve our respect, and appreciation for their service, but it came to light this week that at Nashua’s Aug. 26 Board of Assessors meeting, Laurie Ortolano, a candidate for Nashua Board of Public Works, thought it was best to refer to a city attorney disrespectfully, using the C word.

Ortolanlo commented, “I think she’s a despicable attorney. It was the c–tiest behavior I have ever seen out of somebody. Ridiculously inappropriate.”

Being an elected official or candidate for office doesn’t entitle someone to name call, harass others or lean into bullying as a political tactic, or as a vent for their feelings. I think the notion that politicians are entitled to set aside decency, and that we shouldn’t expect better from people, is fundamentally flawed ≠ and a big failing in the current state of our discourse.

Ortolano owes this city attorney a sincere apology, directly and in public in the same forum she used to call her that foul word.

Tracy Pappas, who has been a dedicated public servant here in Nashua for some time, and is running alongside Ortolano for the two open BPW seats, should reconsider whether or not she really wants to hitch her well-established wagon to someone who treats people this way – unless she also thinks this kind of behavior is acceptable.

For full disclosure, I am one of four candidates running for Board of Public Works, and voters can count on me not to disparage the fine folks who work hard every day to serve our community.

Telegraph readers can see for themselves, and make their own decisions on whether this is the kind of behavior they look for in their elected officials at the web address below.